Proverbs 4
4
Get Wisdom at Any Cost
1My sons, listen to a father’s teaching.
Pay attention and gain understanding.
2I give you good advice.
So don’t turn away from what I teach you.
3I, too, was once a young boy in my father’s house.
And my mother loved me deeply.
4Then my father taught me.
He said to me, “Take hold of my words with all your heart.
Keep my commands, and you will live.
5Get wisdom, and get understanding.
Don’t forget my words or turn away from them.
6Stay close to wisdom, and she will keep you safe.
Love her, and she will watch over you.
7To start being wise you must first get wisdom.
No matter what it costs, get understanding.
8Value wisdom highly, and she will lift you up.
Hold her close, and she will honor you.
9She will set a beautiful crown on your head.
She will give you a glorious crown.”
10My son, listen. Accept what I say.
Then you will live for many years.
11I instruct you in the way of wisdom.
I lead you along straight paths.
12When you walk, nothing will slow you down.
When you run, you won’t trip and fall.
13Hold on to my teaching and don’t let it go.
Guard it well, because it is your life.
14Don’t take the path of evil people.
Don’t live the way sinners do.
15Stay away from their path and don’t travel on it.
Turn away from it and go on your way.
16Sinners can’t rest until they do what is evil.
They can’t sleep until they make someone sin.
17They do evil just as easily as they eat food.
They hurt others as easily as they drink wine.
18The path of those who do right is like the sun in the morning.
It shines brighter and brighter until the full light of day.
19But the way of those who do what is wrong is like deep darkness.
They don’t know what makes them trip and fall.
20My son, pay attention to what I say.
Listen closely to my words.
21Don’t let them out of your sight.
Keep them in your heart.
22They are life to those who find them.
They are health to a person’s whole body.
23Above everything else, guard your heart.
Everything you do comes from it.
24Don’t speak with twisted words.
Keep evil talk away from your lips.
25Let your eyes look straight ahead.
Keep looking right in front of you.
26Think carefully about the paths that your feet walk on.
Always choose the right ways.
27Don’t turn to the right or left.
Keep your feet from the path of evil.
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Holy Bible, New International Reader’s Version®, NIrV®
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Proverbs 4
4
A Father’s Example
1Listen, sons, to a father’s discipline,#Ps 34:11; Pr 1:8
and pay attention so that you may gain understanding,
2for I am giving you good instruction.#Jb 11:4
Don’t abandon my teaching.
3When I was a son with my father,
tender and precious to my mother,
4he taught me and said,
“Your heart must hold on to my words.
Keep my commands and live.#Pr 3:1–2; 6:20–23; 7:1–2
5Get wisdom, get understanding;#Pr 16:16
don’t forget or turn away from the words from my mouth.
6Don’t abandon wisdom, and she will watch over you;
love her,#2Th 2:10 and she will guard you.
7Wisdom is supreme — so get wisdom.
And whatever else you get, get understanding.#Pr 16:16
8Cherish her, and she will exalt you;
if you embrace her, she will honor you.#1Sm 2:30
9She will place a garland of favor on your head;
she will give you a crown of beauty.”#Pr 1:9; 16:31
Two Ways of Life
10Listen, my son. Accept my words,#Pr 2:1
and you will live many years.#Pr 3:2
11I am teaching you the way of wisdom;
I am guiding you on straight paths.#1Sm 12:23
12When you walk, your steps will not be hindered;#Jb 18:7; Ps 18:36
when you run, you will not stumble.#Pr 3:23
13Hold on to instruction; don’t let go.#Pr 3:18
Guard it, for it is your life.
14Keep off the path of the wicked;#Ps 1:1; Pr 1:15
don’t proceed on the way of evil ones.
15Avoid it; don’t travel on it.
Turn away from it, and pass it by.
16For they can’t sleep
unless they have done what is evil;
they are robbed of sleep
unless they make someone stumble.#Ps 36:4; Mc 2:1
17They eat the bread of wickedness
and drink the wine of violence.
18The path of the righteous is like the light of dawn,#2Sm 23:4
shining brighter and brighter until midday.
19But the way of the wicked is like the darkest gloom;#Is 59:9–10; Jr 23:12; Jn 12:35
they don’t know what makes them stumble.#Pr 24:16; Jn 11:10
The Straight Path
20My son, pay attention to my words;
listen closely to my sayings.#Pr 5:1
21Don’t lose sight of them;#Pr 3:21
keep them within your heart.
22For they are life to those who find them,
and health to one’s whole body.
23Guard your heart above all else,#4:23 Or heart with all diligence
for it is the source of life.#Mt 15:19; Mk 7:18–23
24Don’t let your mouth speak dishonestly,#Pr 6:12
and don’t let your lips talk deviously.
25Let your eyes look forward;
fix your gaze#4:25 Lit eyelids straight ahead.#Heb 12:2
26Carefully consider the path#4:26 Or Clear a path for your feet,#Pr 5:6,21; Heb 12:13
and all your ways will be established.
27Don’t turn to the right or to the left;#Dt 5:32–33; 28:13–14; Jos 1:7; 23:6; 1Kg 15:5
keep your feet away from evil.
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